Stator Diffusion Enhancement Using a Re-Circulating Co-Flowing Steady Jet

This paper will outline a steady flow control technique that augments the diffusion process within a stator passage via a continuous co-flowing secondary flow stream along the suction surface. The technique is similar to that used for flow vectoring in nozzles where a secondary flow stream is used to enhance the diffusion and vectoring of high speed jets. Diffusion factors in excess of 0.95 are simulated and the “penalty” for the secondary system is addressed with an availability and simple power analysis. Losses within the secondary flow stream were included in the availability analysis, but it did not account for losses within a delivery system of this secondary flow. This was accomplished through the ID power analysis which assessed this technique’s impact on the efficiency of an axial compression stage and the sensitivity of this efficiency to the secondary flow system’s efficiency. Also, a system level analysis is presented to assess the merits that may be realized in a notional engine with this type of flow control. Particularly, impacts on specific fuel consumption and thrust-to-weight ratio were addressed. A cascade experiment was performed to demonstrate the concept and was conducted in a blow-down cascade tunnel. Significant improvements in diffusion were qualitatively seen from the DPIV measurements despite limitations in achieving the desired secondary flow conditions.